Mobile cranes require a working space on a building site that is sufficiently large to ensure a complete and safe mode of operation of the mobile crane. There is, however, often only limited space or room available due to projecting edges at the construction site which can be produced by walls, planting, further work equipment or other obstacles.
The required working space is essentially determined by two factors. Whereas the first factor is the support base of the mobile crane which is defined by the respective support apparatus depending on the equipping state, the superstructure radius of rotation as the second major factor, that is the most extreme edge of the superstructure on the rotation of the superstructure about the undercarriage, also determines the working space of the mobile crane. As a rule this superstructure radius of rotation is influenced by the mounted ballast plates or by the apparatus for mounting the ballast plates since an installed ballast mounting apparatus, including the ballast plates, frequently projects the furthest out of the superstructure.
If the superstructure radius of rotation is reduced, the required working space for the mobile crane admittedly reduces on the one side. However, on the other side, the distance from the center of gravity of the ballast to the axis of rotation of the superstructure about the undercarriage is reduced. This in turn, however, reduces the torque which acts against the load torque generated by the load.
Mobile cranes are known from the prior art that have a first and a second ballast mounting apparatus that differ with respect to their physical dimensions and that are optionally releasably connected or connectable to the superstructure of the mobile crane. The ballast mounting apparatus used defines the superstructure radius of rotation which is described by the outermost component or outermost edge of the ballast mounting apparatus in the radial direction on a rotary movement of the superstructure. The support base and the superstructure radius of rotation can be matched to one another by the selective installation of the first or second ballast mounting apparatus to the mobile crane. This solution admittedly optimizes the superstructure radius of rotation, but has the result that two separate ballast mounting apparatus have to be provided or have to be kept available by the operator of the mobile crane.
Mobile cranes are further known from the prior art in which the spacing of a ballast mounting apparatus from the axis of rotation of the superstructure of the mobile crane can be changed by ballasting cylinders. Whereby the superstructure radius of rotation is correspondingly varied. The use of ballasting cylinders admittedly makes it possible to react flexibly to different loads on the mobile crane, but disadvantageously makes the setup of the total apparatus more complicated.
Disclosed herein is a mobile crane of the category whose construction minimizes the required working space on the construction site with as few additional components as possible and without any substantial increase in the complexity of the mobile crane.
In accordance with claim 1, at least one connection element in the mobile crane is provided at the superstructure of the mobile crane and at least two mating connection elements are provided at the ballast mounting apparatus, with the ballast mounting apparatus being couplable to the superstructure in positions of different spacing from the axis of rotation of the superstructure by the at least two mating connection elements. Advantageous embodiments of the mobile crane are the subject of the dependent claims.
The different coupling of the ballast mounting apparatus can in this respect in particular take place during the assembly of the mobile crane, in particular before its deployment, for which purpose the mobile crane itself does not have to have any additional actuators or other complex extensions.
It is conceivable in this respect in an embodiment that the ballast mounting apparatus comprises a ballast frame that is in particular formed as curved and/or as U-shaped in its horizontal plane.
The ballast frame can be configured in this respect such that the ballast held by it or the ballast plates held by it are couplable to the superstructure at different distances by the at least two mating connection elements. In this respect, the mating connection elements of the ballast mounting apparatus can be provided at different distances from the center of mass of the ballast mounting apparatus and of the mounted ballast plates and can thus introduce different torques into the superstructure on a corresponding coupling with the superstructure.
It is conceivable in a further embodiment that the mating connection elements are not simultaneously couplable to the connection elements. It is hereby ensured that in each case only one of the mating connection elements can be coupled to the superstructure and thus either a lower torque or a higher torque is necessarily introduced.
It is conceivable in a further embodiment that the ballast mounting apparatus is couplable to the superstructure in two positions rotated with respect to one another about a vertical axis, in particular by 180°. It is possible by the mutually rotated arrangement of the two positions to rotate the ballast mounting apparatus in a horizontal plane and thereby to introduce the different torques into the ballast wagon with little handling effort on a corresponding rotated coupling of the ballast mounting apparatus to the superstructure. The auxiliary units used for the typical assembly of the mobile crane can advantageously be used in this respect. A self-assembly is, however, also possible in the same manner.
Provision can in particular be made in this respect that the mating connection elements are provided at mutually oppositely disposed sides of the ballast mounting apparatus. The construction of the ballast mounting apparatus can hereby be simplified and it can be simply ensured that no different transverse torques are introduced into the superstructure in the two positions.
Provision can furthermore be made in an embodiment that the mating connection elements extend by different distances from the center of mass of the mounting apparatus. On a corresponding coupling of the ballast mounting apparatus to the superstructure a different torque introduction into the superstructure resulting from the mass of the ballast mounting apparatus thereby results in dependence on the mating connection elements used.
It is conceivable in a further embodiment that at least one winch connection element for coupling a winch to the ballast mounting apparatus is provided at the ballast mounting apparatus, with the winch connection element in particular being configured as a part of the mating connection elements. The winch can in this respect also be couplable to different regions of the ballast mounting apparatus, with a winch connection element being able to be used in a different region of the ballast mounting apparatus depending on the position of the ballast mounting apparatus. It is hereby possible in a simple manner to be able to use a winch in different positions of the ballast mounting apparatus. It is conceivable in an embodiment in which the winch connection element is configured as a part of a mating connection element that mating connection elements currently not used for coupling the ballast mounting apparatus with the superstructure may be used for connecting the winch to the ballast mounting apparatus. The flexible winch connection can hereby be effected in a particularly simple manner and without additional components.
It is further conceivable in a further embodiment that at least one ballasting cylinder is provided at the ballast mounting apparatus to move the ballast mounting apparatus relative to the superstructure and/or to a base plate. It is, for example, possible by means of the ballasting cylinder to raise the ballast mounting apparatus from the undercarriage to the superstructure, after which the ballasting apparatus can be coupled to the superstructure. After a coupling of the ballast mounting apparatus to the superstructure, the ballasting cylinder can furthermore be moved in for the raising of the ballast plates or of the ballast provided at or to be attached to the ballast mounting apparatus. A base plate on which ballast plates can be arranged can be raised by the ballasting cylinder for this purpose. The ballasting cylinder can thus couple the base plate to the remaining structure of the ballast mounting apparatus movable linearly with respect to one another.
It is furthermore conceivable in an embodiment that at least one of the mating connection elements is configured as an intermediate frame releasably couplable to the ballast mounting apparatus. The intermediate frame can in this respect replace or supplement one of the mating connection elements in that it is installed between the first mating connection element and the connection element of the superstructure.
The present disclosure further relates to a ballast mounting apparatus for a mobile crane in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein at least two mating connection elements that are arranged mutually offset and/or rotated are provided at the ballast mounting apparatus. It is possible in this respect, as described further above, to couple the ballast mounting apparatus to the superstructure of the mobile crane in two different positions by the at least two mating connection elements, with respective different torques being introduced into the superstructure in the two positions. The ballast mounting apparatus can furthermore have features that have been described further above with respect to the mobile crane and its ballast mounting apparatus.
Further advantages and details of the present disclosure are described with reference to the embodiment shown by way of example in the Figures and Detailed Description.